Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello!

I am new to Kingsnake and to leos, so hi everybody!

We just received 12 leos last weekend and have put them all into their own individual shoe box enclosures: 12 x 6 . My question is when can/should I move them into their bigger permanent homes: 30 X 12 sweater boxes? We are going to put the females in together in pairs; the males will get their own. I was planning on putting them in after feeding on Thursday but wanted to get some input first.

We have a lot of experience breeding boas, and I am working on the "they will get acclimated better and will feel more comfortable in a smaller space," but I also don't want them to feel cramped. We put in a hide with them last night along with their water bowl.

Thank you for any advice! I look forward to posting and reading here often!

Susan

Sounds like you have a setup very similar to mine. Shoe boxes & sweater boxes. The only thing you didn't mention is what size are the 12 leos now? If they are full grown or near you can move them into the sweater boxes right away. If they are still young I would recommend waiting.
To me the question is not so much the size of the enclosure but communal vs. individual. I keep my hatchlings in individual shoe boxes until they are at least 6 months old (50 grams). This minimizes fighting, biting and STRESS. Leos are NOT social by nature and the only reason to keep them together is for breeding purposes. Just my opinion. If you have the space keep them individually (big box or small does not matter as long as they have smallish hide boxes) until you want to breed them.
Best of Luck!

I agree with part of what the other person said like if they are hatchlings I'd wait but juvies and adults can got now. What I dn't agree with is that they are not social, they are very social for the best info on raising and breeding leos i recommend The Herpetoculture of Leopard Geckos by the renowned leopard breeder Ron Tremper.

Not trying to be argumentative but there is a huge difference between being tolerant out of neccessity and being social. A gecko will NEVER get lonely if kept individually. But if kept communally they will lose toes & tails, get stressed and shy geckos might not get enough food.
After 19 years of keeping and breeding Leos I have come to realize that the safest and most stress free way to keep any reptile is in a cage by itself. Like I said, just my opinion.

That being said, I also realize that you will not get much breeding done unless you put them together and then you just have to hope they work it out and find a pecking order.

Thank you so much for your reply! I put them in their larger enclosures and they are eating much better and *most* seem a lot calmer! I also decided to keep them separate as we have had much success keeping boas in their own cages. For breeding, we put one male and one female boa together; will that work also with the geckos? Or should we put three (two females, one male) to encourage breeding?

Glad to hear that your new geckos are settling in. Geckos are quite resilient and most resume normal activities very quickly.
I think you will have good success with either a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio for breeding. Personally, I usually go with 1 male and two females but I don't know that having more than one female stimulates activity. Just put them together and you will have babies before you know it.
Also, you should be aware that gecko mating can be pretty violent compared to that of snakes. Nothing to worry about, just don't be surprised.

Thank you so much for the advice! We are still getting them settled in; the breeding will come soon. I appreciate your response. I'm sure I'll be posting here often for more advice and input!

Thanks again,

Susan
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